Board Meeting Minutes 2016-09-19

Visitors present (but did not stay for the meeting as we started late): Corey Kaster, Farmers Insurance Agent

Meeting started at 6:50pm

The meeting was started late as there were only two board members present at 6:30pm. Jere Fitterman and Jeri Bee were the only two board members that had given prior notice that they were going to be out.

The minutes were previously read by board members but no changes could be made as quorum was not met at time the meeting started. However, no changes were proposed.

Clint asked if board members had been removed from the board to determine if our quorum is lower. However, no board members have been removed except Kristen Yates who resigned because she no longer works at VOA.

Sue Stringer noted that we have had less and less board members present over the course of the last year.

Pat stated that we should emphasize at the general membership meeting that if you are going to be a board member you have to attend the meetings consistently.

Annie stated that a while ago if a board member missed three meetings they were removed from the board. She is not sure if that is in the bylaws. Clint said that it requires a vote of the board to remove a board member.

Sue Stringer stated that she had recently met with the Cully board member in charge of their newsletter advertising and that the consistently have 60-80 or more residents attending meetings along with their board members. A discussion about how our turnout has changed since the issues of the neighborhood have changed and that since the issues are different now maybe people don’t feel the need to come to the meetings. Also discussed is the fact that many of the newer residents may not know what a neighborhood association is or what a board does. Pat suggested a newsletter article on those two topics.

Discussion of how to get more people at the meetings with taking survey results and planning events like a game night, happy hour, panel discussion, etc. Clint said we can’t sponsor a happy hour event due to liability but Sue said that it wouldn’t be sponsored just a suggested get together where we can get to know residents and then invite them to get involved by coming to a meeting or joining a committee if they are interested.

Old Business:

Joan Ivan wanted to note that the PICA TBA was a great event and was well attended. They are a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.

Dog nuisance problem in Dawson Park – Angela will have a discussion with Portland Park and Rec to see if they can post a leash law sign and send a ranger to enforce the leash law.

New Business:

ENA-BNA boundary change consideration – After discussion about some potential areas that overlap Boise and Eliot, Angela motioned that we should send the issue to Land Use for them to decide with the exception that the Red Cross parking lot should stay in Eliot. Pat seconded.

Committee reports:

Livability: Litter pick up is happening on October 8, 9-11 am meeting at 120 N Knott. Trash collected will be taken to the metro transfer station and the cost is covered by Solve. Also every Thursday there is a weekly pick up put on by Port City. Angela will find out what time they will be happening. Adopt-a-block is also starting up. Many blocks are still available. Check out the list in the Eliot News issue that is being mailed out the end of September. The Livability committee is chaired by Matt Morrissey and members include Karla Gostnell, Lauren Mullen, Jody Guth, Jere Fitterman and Angela Kremer. As we get more people signing up to cover a block Clint can make a map to post on the website show which streets are being covered and which still need a volunteer to adopt.

Newsletter: Deadline for ads and articles have been moved up. New deadlines are the 1st of the month for story commitments and ad sizes. The ad artwork and final copy of the articles need to be to the editor by the 8th of the month. The deadline to have the layout to the printer is the 15th of the month instead 25th of the month in previous years.

Treasurer: Currently we have $11,301.65. Livability balance is $5468 and general balance is $5833. There a small amount of expenses to be paid and taxes are due at the end of the month but those are all nominal. The details sit on the ledger on the shared drive and Annie is going to do a better job of keeping that up date. 2016 is looking good. Hats off to Sue she’s doing a great job with the newsletter. We have some new advertisers and even with the increase in rates we are doing a good job of selling and collecting advertising dollars.

LUTC: The committee was presented with plans for the Courtyard Apartments on Tillamook where the two houses burned and the community garden was. Cooperative living with 5 buildings 4 of which will be 2-3 story residences and a courtyard which all the units face and one common use building.

Terra Strata project opposite the church on half of Vancouver Baptist church lot. Church sold them the lot. One block south of the People’s Pig and half of the block plus a little more. House is staying and will not be selling. Lot is next to the old Cleo’s building. They made an adjustment to their design. They are building as tall as they can and added another floor by making each floor a little shorter. Went from probably 10 foot ceilings to about 9 foot ceilings. It will be around 65 feet.

Stop signs Morris and Monroe stop signs will be switched. So now there will be a stop sign on Rodney at Morris because it has speed bumps already and a stop sign on Monroe at Rodney because there are no speed bumps on Monroe.

Billboard sign is proposed at 407 N Broadway and was not disputed by LUTC

Demolition house 3420 NE Rodney between Fremont and Ivy. It will be a 3 unit apartment building.

NECN: No report as the meeting will be tomorrow. Updates will be presented next month.

Announcements:

Garlington Center has a ground breaking event on Friday and if anyone wants to come to help out at the neighborhood association table the event is from 2-5pm.

BES is having a meeting about the sewer project improvements and costs to homeowners. Meeting on October 20 at St Philip the Deacon Church.

Elections for board members will be at the October 17th meeting. Officers will be elected at the November 21st meeting.